Contents

Biology

Rhydon is a large, gray, bipedal Pokémon with features of both dinosaurs and rhinoceroses. It has a cream-colored, drill-like horn on its snout, the female having a smaller horn than the male. There are other protrusions on the head as well, including a spike curving forward from the middle of its head, two triangular, point resembling ears to the sides of the spike, a wide, wavy crest under the ears, and spiky ridges on its cheeks. It has red eyes and two fangs protruding from its upper jaw. It has a cream-colored stomach and a row of spikes down its back. Rhydon has a long tail with skinny, black stripes.

Rhydon is a physically powerful Pokémon. It is recorded as being able to topple buildings with a sweeping blow of its tail, and its horn is able to bore through solid rock and shatter diamonds. Rhydon is protected from heat and physical blows by its armor-like hide. It is stated to be capable of passing unscathed through streams of magma and withstanding a direct blow from a cannonball without being harmed. However, because of this tough hide, it is insensitive. Rhydon has a well-developed brain, but can also be forgetful. It lives in rough terrain.

Trivia

According to interviews with Ken Sugimori, Rhydon was the first Pokémon ever created. This is further supported as its index number is 001 in Generation I, as well as early sketches from Capsule Monsters featuring Rhydon.

Ash's Pikachu fought Blaine's Rhydon in the anime and defeated it, despite it being a Ground-type immune to Electric attacks. Rhydon's horn also serves as a lightning rod which negates electric attacks as of the rules for the Pokémon effect. Since then, that battle has been brought up frequently in comparisons between the games and anime and has spawned the popular (albeit misquoted) Pokémon Internet meme, "Pikachu! Aim for the horn!"

Since Rhydon's index number is 001 in Generation I, a glitch Pokémon with an index number of 000 or that is greater than 152 will revert to Rhydon when its Pokédex entry is viewed.

Rhydon and its evolution share their species name with Nidoqueen and Nidoking. They are all known as the Drill Pokémon.

Rhydon's evolution line are the only Pokémon with the Rock/Ground combination to have Ground as its primary type.

Rhydon has the highest base Attack stat of any Pokémon that is not fully evolved.

However, before Generation IV introduced Rhyperior, Rhydon was fully evolved.

Rhydon and its evolutionary relatives are the only Rock-type Pokémon that belong in the Field Egg Group.

Origin

It appears to draw much of its inspiration from a rhinoceros and some aspects of various dinosaurs, such as ceratopsids.

Name origin

Rhydon may be a combination of rhinoceros and don. Rhy may also derive from the igneous rock called rhyolite, alluding to its Ground/Rock type combination. Don may mean lord in Latin—emphasizing it being the final evolution of its line pre-Generation IV—or tooth in Ancient Greek—as it is a suffix commonly used in dinosaur names, so it could be a reference to those prehistoric creatures as well.